A Rye High School senior is hosting a phone-free afternoon for local youth Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Rye Free Reading Room.
Rosie Zicherman founded (dis)Connect, a student-led organization that brings young people together through screen-free activities like hiking, cookie swaps and cupcake decorating.
The group's inaugural "Phone-Free Afternoon" takes place at the library, 1061 Boston Post Rd., with arts, crafts, games, friendship bracelet making and reading on the front lawn.
The idea grew out of a three-month stint as a sophomore exchange student in Switzerland, where Zicherman went completely without screens. That experience stuck. "Not having a phone or going on a screen for three months really allowed me to connect with others with a sense of presence that you don't have when phones are around," she told the Rye Record, which first reported on the new organization.
(dis)Connect is not a traditional club with regular meetings, Zicherman said. She described it as a series of excursions meant to bring people together off-screen.
After reaching out to Mayor Josh Nathan about expanding the effort, Zicherman was connected to IRL (In Real Life), a Rye-based nonprofit that encourages families to delay smartphones and social media for children. IRL co-founder Lauren Tesoriere said the partnership felt like validation, adding that students are now leading their own initiatives.
The Rye Arts Center, RyeACT and the Rye Youth Council will each run activities at Saturday's event. Snacks come from maman, the French-inspired bakery café that opened its first Westchester location at 64 Purchase Street in July.
Phone lockers will be available so attendees can stow their devices, but locking up a phone is not required. Tesoriere said the organizers hope the event builds awareness and helps normalize the practice of disconnecting, whether or not participants use the lockers.
The launch comes as Rye City schools adjust to New York's new bell-to-bell cellphone ban, which took effect this school year. The district conducted an internet use audit over the summer and committed to updated screen-time practices after parents raised concerns at PTO meetings, according to the Rye Record.
Zicherman, who also serves as editor-in-chief of the Rye High School yearbook and plays varsity softball and tennis, said she and IRL are planning more town-wide events and hope to involve other Westchester chapters of the nonprofit.
Upcoming
- Phone-Free Afternoon: Saturday, Oct. 3, Rye Free Reading Room, 1061 Boston Post Rd. Arts, crafts, games and treats. Phone lockers available but optional.
